“Can you believe that a banana peel on a classroom table changed my destiny?
I am a traditional Tanjore painting artist with over 45+ years of practice and a third generation artist from the lineage of Art Director Balu Bros.

My journey began in a small classroom at Boiler Plant Boys Higher Secondary School in Thiruverumbur, Trichy, when my art teacher, Mr. Kutrala Lingam, placed a simple banana peel before us and asked us to observe light, shadow, texture and imperfection. That still-life exercise taught me that even the smallest object carries a story if we truly see.

As a teenager in tenth standard, my maternal uncle became my first mentor and sent art materials from Chennai to Mannargudi while guiding me through relentless practice and discipline. I painted Murugan, Mariamman, Pillaiyar, Abirami Amman and Sri Raghavendra Swamy and learned to respect devotion and detail.

I moved on to commercial art for cinema slides, banners, standees and theatre publicity, which taught me scale, lighting, lettering and deadlines, while travelling across towns and finally to Chennai expanded my vision of the art ecosystem.

I taught myself Tanjore painting by studying originals, visiting libraries, failing repeatedly and experimenting with materials until temples, international clients and large commissions slowly helped with my survival.

Along the way, I faced rejection for lacking certificates and for not fitting industry norms, and even had family resistance from my father, who feared instability more than my ability.

I got selected for many – BFA, Indian Army, printing technology but I chose art and uncertainty. At my lowest moment, I stood at Marina Beach and threw away my paintings and my faith.

Yet art returned! Art chose me!

Printers and publishers started approaching me for logos, storyboards and hand drawn cricketer illustrations for magazines. That kept me going.

I was shortlisted by Kumudham publications but got rejected due to a lack of formal certification, a year later my work was featured by them based solely on its artistic merit. Today, I deliver authentic traditional Tanjore, acrylic, oil and pencil works with a divine touch to collectors in more than ten countries!

But I still follow the banana peel lesson of patience and observation. If you feel unseen today, protect your calling, stay consistent and you will rise.”